Jef Albea - Wedding gown designer : BOOKED

Hi friends!!!

My week has been so busy and the metropolitan life kept my fingers frozen that made me missed more than a week to write even just one post...Pardon me for that!

It's a roller coaster week...

Happy, sad, happy sad....

As much as I wanted to give you all the details I guess I will just make you all confuse , so for the moment lemme just share you one of the best news of the week.... after half year of searching I finally met and booked my wedding gown designer.

He is Jef Albea....

Jef was referred to me by a w@w friend Wynn ( thank you sistah! ) and after I saw his site I just have a good feeling about his creations. I was thrilled so I visited him in his place with Bff Charm last April 21, Saturday. He drew a sketch for me basing on my pegs and guess what? I am really tempted to book him right then and there due to excitement hahaha  but since I have to wait for Alan’s approval I told him give me until Wednesday to decide. That same day after i reported  how's the meet up and how I love Jef's sketch for me Alan gave me the approval and even decided to book him as our female entourage gown designer too....tee hee!

Tuesday morning was not really good so to change my mood I shoot him a sms asking he is free anytime that day so I can book him and I'm glad he has spare time to accommodate me in the afternoon....

And there you go... I booked him and we signed the contract! In one sitting he made the female entourage gown sketches as well us Alan's suit that really made me happy. I even forgot how bad my morning was...

I so love Jef na and he is so guapo pa!.... :)

I want to keep the surprise factor here sana but then I just can't resist to share his sketches for us... anyways it's still gonna be different in the actual  output....so bakit ba? (palusot pa ako) :P

So without further ado...let me share you my bridal gown in the making.....: D

let's start from here!
please click the photos for better viewing......

My gown :D

Alan's suit 

Mom's gown

Mother in law's

 for my Maid of Honor

for Secondary Sponsors

 for my Bridesmaid

for flower girls

Jef  busy doing my entourage sketches :)

Our perfect picture from his iphone :)

That's it!

For a designer, Jef's rate is a way affordable to other known designers in town but since he is still young and have lots of ideas in mind I believe he can make my dream gown into reality. You can tell him your budget and he can adjust well still depending on your pegs.With the rapport I can say I love him to bits, for me that's a big plus. I know I can't rate him just yet.... not until our wedding is done but you know what since I met him he just made me feel so excited and happy looking forward to see myself wearing that gown!Yiiiihhhh! 

Ok....will park na...bye for now! ~ ANNA

Note: Jef can draw a sketch for you on the spot  but then he can't give it to you not until you book him... In that case I almost  book him on the spot! LOL

Check his site here!

More wedding gown pegs!

who will not be confuse with these gowns? I want them all!!! YAY!

and with sexy back designs like  below... >_<

oh well, wish me luck folks.....

note: all pictures provided by Uncle google :P

Jowariwariwap!

Finally we see each other again.....

me and my long lost friend

Her name is Joa one of my BFF who's been MIA for few years now and finally back :D. I'm so glad we finally meet again after 4 years I guess...This friend of mine is one of those I cherished the most because of the friendship we built since we're still wearing that maroon colored skirt and white buttoned up white shirt elementary school uniform.

To give you an idea how close we are, lemme reveal some of our secrets. :P

1. She's my classmate from grade one until fourth year high school.

2. We are always seatmates if not it's only like one sit apart since our Surnames both starts with letter M.

3. She is the one who convinced my dad (when he is still alive) to let me enroll in a public high school where we graduated  because they believed being in the science class of that institution can provide a more quality education than those in private high school in town. I'm actually thankful for that. :D Dad made the right decision.

4.We live in the same dorm, we are even roommates and studied  in the same university in college.

5. We tried our first sip of booze together due to curiosity...There red horse beer really kicked us off.

6. Our reviewing time for major exams  is during wee hours.

7. Those times we are living in the same dorm we often take shower together naked...Yes! she can't hide nothing to me anymore  LOL.

8.Both of us worked in five star hotel way way back when we are freshly grad.

9. We are both seawoman and even have the same international cruise ship company before but then I transferred to another one.

10. If I'm married to a Mexican, Joa have her Jamaican boyfie.

Now tell me, do you think we are really that close? :P 

believe it or not, only us finished that JD bottle in only one sitting

Maybe that's the reason why we tried our first sip together, to prepare ourselves to get a certified LASHENGERA title...yay! Occasionally... :P

By the way I almost forgot to tell you that it's her 28 birthday and that's the main occasion plus a celebration of a reunited friendship that made it more a special.

I thought it's done..but after seeing and talking to her again...years without much FB wall post, unanswered reaching out pms couldn't break it ....We are maybe older now and even heading in different life's path but I'm still pretty sure that our friendship and heartbeats (to each other) are just like the same as those times when she and I  are just playing jack stones, UNO cards and chinese garter.

Belated happy birthday JOARRY...

Namiss kita!
Alam mo yan! :P

You're more than a Queen MOM!

To my Mommy....

And to my grannies (Lola B & Lola Flor), mom in law, Mama Chary, sister in law Cinthia, Aunties, Cousins, Blogger sissies and friends who are already a mom...Happy Mother's Day to y'all!

When I grow up I wanna have the same title as you have because I do believe that there is no other gift to a mother can ever be equal to the gift you've given to your kids- LIFE...

courtesy of Mr. GOOGLE :)

Seven months away from you....

Exactly seven months away from my hubby today...I MISS HIM MUCHO  :/

And now here's what I wanna do with him forever....

i've got this from Facebook

Every minute with you is priceless...

See you soonest Amorcito! TQM

Our wedding videographer: Stephen Wedding Film

Having a celebrity-like wedding video is what I always dreamed of  (yes, celebrity like talaga kase artistahin ako chos lang hehe :). Well, I was talking about the SDE (same day edit) videos or also known as onsite videos.

As wikipedia defines it here ---->

Same Day Edit : ( Also called a wedding day edit) A short video produced from footage of the wedding shot earlier in the day, usually only incorporating footage from pre-ceremony, ceremony and post ceremony, that is then showed at the reception as a recap of the wedding.

I'm actually a fan of Jason Magbanua ever since and  I even wished I could get him as my wedding  videographer. Now that I am at this point of my life where I'm  planning my own wedding I just realized sometimes dreams are just dreams..Go on and keep on dreaming! LOL Why? Because after I knew how much do we need to save to avail a service of Mr. JM I just told myself we need to live within our means...hahaha. Well, yes! we can't afford his service. We actually can if we will not be practical but It's just too much for a normal people like us and  besides we don't want to earn debts just to have our dream wedding...So, we decided to just find someone who's within our budget but can provide a good quality service too. Late last year we started our  search, I keep on sending emails for some good videographers with good reviews at the same time with good rates but unfortunately all of them are already booked for December 2012. Gawd! I can't imagine that videographers are kind of hard to find.. There are lots them but the one that can give you what you want....hmmm well it requires a lot of research for you to find them. Can you imagine how desperate I am to find one? I'm sending emails of inquiry even on Christmas day! LOL...Yes, I stumbled upon Stephen Wedding Film's site on Christmas day (right after Noche buena I guess) and the Holiday don't bothered me to shoot him an email. But guess what? It seems like Stephen's reply  is one of great Christmas gift we received  cause he answered me on Christmas day too informing me that he is still available on our wedding date. Few more emails and we finally agreed to a meet up. YEY!
Stephen Prado is still new in the business but what I love about his work except for affordable rates ( when I  I booked him) is his unique concept videos. Because of those videos we want us to have one too aside from the SDE.. :p

Sample of Stephen's concept video I'm talking about. :D

January 09, 2012 with BFF Charm I booked and signed a contract with him in UCC Coffee in Robinsons Manila.I was actually surprised when I knew that he is younger than me..Haha tanda ko na!

The meeting went okay. He sometimes sms me about a possible location for our concept shoot and stuffs like that after booking him. In facebook when he is online I update him about the preps progress and even asked him twice if it's ok to change of our wedding location so as our wedding date, glad it's fine with him.I found a supplier/friend feeling in him that makes it more easier for me to reach him without feeling intimidated.

Just right after I booked him some of his works have been featured in some countries known wedding blogsites that made me feel that its really his YEAR to bloom in wedding business.

Features he'd got so far....


Weddings at Work -Feature Grandest Grand Entrance of Newlyweds we’ve seen so far!
Rebellious Brides: The Pedicab Entrance
Weddings at Work: Best Vows of 2011

For brides-to-be who are interested in Stephen Prado's work, know him more from his w@w podcast from this link. :)

Let me finished this post with Aubrey Carampel's (showbiz reporter of GMA 7) wedding concept video by Stephen Prado with help of award winning director and GMA 7 reporter Cesar Apolinario.
Hope you enjoy it like I do! :D

Fadge Cravings-Cake Supplier: Booked

Sorry for a super late update! I dunno what happened to me and I can't move my ass off here...Grrrrr I hate myself for being lazy!

Well, finally our wedding cake supplier is booked. Last Saturday, April 28 after attending Bro. Leo's Diaconal Ordination and a short side trip in Batangas I went straight to Batangas City to meet Ate Mhadg of Fadge Cravings.It's really my intention to get a local cake supplier to save from out of town fee/delivery though Batangas City is still couple of towns away from Laiya, San Juan, Batangas... I guess P1000 cake delivery charge is not bad at all right? :P They are located in a subdivision that is new to me ( i studied in Batangas City during my college days but I never been there) so commuting is kind of hard to me, I lost and rode the wrong jeepney twice. I'm really not good in direction but I'm glad  though I came a bit late I was able to make it. I saw their shop was closed but good thing it's right where Ate Mhadg lives I tried pushing the door bell in front of the gate and there she is.:D Sigh of relief! hahaha.. I learned from her that they don't even got the chance to open that day because she is currently making some cake orders the she need to deliver the next day...

So how's the meeting?

At first Alan and I wanted to have a 3-layered all edible cake but after seeing my parent's wedding cake I said to myself I want ours to looks like close to that one instead. So when I saw a damask theme cupcake tower made by Fadge I told them about it and they said it's okay and we can discuss the details in our meeting. So there, I booked for a cupcake tower ( a cake on top the layer and 80 pieces of cupcakes to be place in the other 5 layers of the tower). The other reason why we chose it instead of the 3 layered edible cake is that we wanted to make sure everyone (guests) will be able eat and taste the cake/cupcakes  in the reception...We don't want to have leftovers because the next day after the wedding we will be surely busy to catch our flights going to a planned out of town Christmas celebration together with both families so I guess taking leftovers is not a good idea at all...so having cupcakes is better. And besides I hate it when I'm attending a wedding and never got the chance to taste the wedding cake..Oh well, that's only my two cents as a wedding guests but I do respect those couples who bring their cakes at home after reception. :P

Well,well, well, too much habla! LOL 

Now to give you how our wedding cake/cupcake tower will looks like lemme show you our pegs..

Let's start here .....

This is how our cupcake tower will look like. I mean the size and the height.

It's the damask cupcakes I saw that made me go for a cupcake tower instead.

This is our first choice for the 3 layered all edible cake.

And since I can't let go of the beach-y details of this cake for this is really love..
Our cupcake tower will still have this details so imagine
the the damask cupcakes with this  details instead..
Don't you think it's lovely? :)

by the way this is my parent's wedding cake...
 I want  ours to looks close to it because
I wanted to put wedding wishes in each cupcakes
  like  what those golden ribbons have.
Though I never told Ate Madge about it yet cause
 i guess ribbons is  not so good  idea...
I'm still thinking  how can I incorporate it with our theme.

Can you imagine now how our tower will gonna be? Not yet? Ok, so here's more.....The color will be aqua blue instead of white and the details will follow our color palete. To have a Mexican touch I told Ate Mhadg that I will just order a Mexican inspired topper.We'll prolly choose a clay topper so we can keep it as a remembrance! :)

OOOOpppps before I park I forgot to tell you that Ate Mhadg got the chance to lemme taste their cake so I can choose which flavor we want to have...Alan and I really wanted to have their carrot cake but unfortunately She don't have a sample of their premium cakes for me to taste that day so I just choose between their 3 basic flavors, which is chocolate, mocha and vanilla. So, what would you expect?A chocolate addict here so obviously I chose the chocolate flavor. They all taste good though I just love how my palete enjoy the chocolatey taste.. :P

Here's the cakes Ate Mhadg took from some
 of her cake orders for me to taste it...Thank you! haha..

This raspberry juice really quenched my thirst! Thanks again LOL!

So there's my piece of cake! :D

PS. I booked and paid her the DP the same day.She promised me she'll send the contract soon since she never thought I will pay her that same day. :P

I missed the last trip of Supercat! waaaaah :/ no choice so I travel via RO-RO. :(
the first 4 photos i grabbed from Fadge Cravings site.

Rev. Leo Mar : Our wedding ceremony Priest

from here

Meet Rev. Leo Mar Arenillo! :D

So from that post in my outdated tumblr account  you'll know how me and Bro.Leo became close...and that's the reason why I want him to officiate our church wedding. If you read the whole post you can see that even in those days that Alan is not yet in my life and my love life is zero I already wished him to be the priest on my wedding day. :) 

Last Saturday I attended Bro. Leo's diaconal ordination in Lipa City. That only  means he's almost a fully pledged priest.Well, I mean 6 months more to go and  he can officiate our wedding already.Teehee! I am so happy for him! Finally after 12 years of studying he eventually reached his greatest dream.

Actually, priest is already included in what we will be paying in San Juan Nepomuceno Church but I believe that  our wedding ceremony will be more special if Leo Mar will be the one who'll officiate it so when He promised last Saturday that he'll save the date for me, I'm so happy hehe. Yey! So it' like 99 % sure that he will be there, one tick to our checklist!  :D

I have here some photos of his diaconal ordination, to give you an idea what's diaconal ordination is....

Leo is the one in the right side of the Bishop :)

]

First 7 photos are courtesy of Ciriaco Santiago III

Me and Rev. Leo :)

meet Father Brian (my crush Priest) :P

there we are :D
this is from Bro. Leo's cam 

So there it is......
After the event Leo gave us a short trip (pasyal)  around Lipa City and nearby towns...Hmmm but I guess that story deserves to be in a new post.... :D

Until next time..

bouquet and wand: rural style :D